Carbonated beverage refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 1, 1933. w. E, DQUGHTY 1,920,462

CARBONATED BEVERAGE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Maj/10% W ATTORNEY- A11g- 1933- w. E. DOUGHTY 1,920,462

CARBONATED BEVERAGE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mmm 2m ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES CARBONATED BEVERAGE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS William E. Doughty, Detroit, Mich, assignor to James Vernor Company, Detroit, Mich, a 001'- poration of Michigan Application July 27, 1931. Serial No. 553,448

7 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating appa ratus and more especially to refrigerating apparatus designed particularly for use in connection with beverage dispensing means. While the present invention is capable of many and diversified uses, it finds particular utility when used in connection with carbonated beverage dispensing apparatus such as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,697,230 dated January 1, 1929.

In dispensing carbonated beverags, for instance, it is generally customary to provide what is termed a settling chamber in which the high pressure beverage is conducted and in which the beverage is freed of a portion of its gas prior to being delivered through the draft arm of the apparatus. It is customary to submerge this settling chamber together with suitable cooling coils, in a cooling medium tank in which, for instance, ice and water are used as the cooling agent. If ordinary ice is employed, the supply must obviously be frequently replenished and it is to eliminate this operation that the presen invention is particularly designed.

In accordance with this invention, I propose employing a mechanical refrigerating unit wherein the refrigerant under pressure is conducted to the refrigerating unit which is designed to utilize the refrigerating properties to the most efficient degree whereby the unit may be utilized in dispensing apparatus of this character in an economical and highly satisfactory manner.

To this end the invention contemplates a series of conduits, and coils arranged within a tank adapted to contain the cooling medium and in which the settling chamber. and cooling coils are located, the whole unit being designed so as to occupy a minimum amount of space and to obtain a high degree of efficiency. I

The several objects, advantages and novel details of construction of the invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,- especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view through a refrigerating apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a semi-diagrammatic perspective view of the refrigerating unit removed from association with the beverage dispensing means.

In my prior Patent No. 1,697,230, there is provided a settling chamber into which the high pressure beverage is conducted, the beverage chamber l3.

first passing through a cooling coil, the cooling coil and settling chamber being arranged in a tank adapted to contain a cooling medium. The high pressure beverage settles in the settling chamber and a portion of the gas thus liberated, collects at the top of the settling chamber and is at periodical intervals conducted to a perforated tube located at the bottom of the cooling medium tank so as to be ejected up through the water in the tank to agitate the same to cause a more efficient circulation of the cooling medium. In the said patent, this liberated gas is first conducted through a display container to agitate a display medium therein and is then conducted to the agitator tube. Another conduit is connected to the settling chamber and conducts a small portion of the gas collected therein to the draft arm to maintain the liquid level therein coincident with that in the settling chamber so that during the idle periods of the dispensing apparatus, the level of the beverage in the draft arm will be below the level of the cooling medium and thus be maintained in a cool condition.

It is this type of apparatus which is illustrated fragmentarily in the drawings forming a part of this application and to which reference will now be made, particular attention being called to Figure 1.

In Figure 1, the reference character 10 indicates a tank adapted to contain a cooling medium such as water and to also contain the refrigerating unit, yet to be referred to. The reference character 11 indicates a conduit adapted to be connected to a source of high pressure beverage (not shown) this conduit connecting with o a beverage cooling coil 12 which as shown, comprises a plurality of vertically arranged coils extending circumierentially around a settling The inlet into the settling chamber 13 from the cooling coil 12 is indicated by the reference character 14. The settling chamber 13 is'provided with suitable float and pressure control valves for controlling the admission of additional high pressure beverage and the reference character 15 indicates the draft arm which as noted, preferably connects with the settling chamber adjacent the bottom thereof.

The reference character 16 indicates a conduit extending from the settling chamber 13 and connecting with the draft arm at a point not shown for conducting a portion of the accumulated liberated gas from the settling chamber to the draft arm to maintain the level of the beverage therein during the inactive periods of the appaplay medium container (also not shown).

reference character 18 indicates an over-flow pipe to maintain the cooling medium level at substantially the dot and dash line 19.

The refrigerating unit comprises a plurality of vertically arranged coils 20, preferably three,

located at three of the vertical corners ofthe tank 10. Arranged in the other corner is a tubular tank 21. The tops of the coils 20 are successively connected to one another and to the tank 21 by conduits or headers 22 and the bottoms of the coils are successively connected to one another and to the tank 21 by conduits or headers 23. Thus, if a level is established for the liquid refrigerant in the tank 21, this same level will be obtained in the coils 20 aswill be obvious.

The connecting conduits 23 are respectively each inclinedso that when the liquid refrigerant boilsthe inclination of these conduits will tend to cause a rise or Lip-flow of the liquid refrigerant and a bubbling or agitation of the liquid refrigerant contained in the tank 21 and coils 20. The preferred manner of inclining the conduits 23 is illustrated, for instance, in Fig- I ure 3 where the conduit 23 inclines upwardly from the tank 21 to the coil 20 and the conduit 23 connecting this coil to the next, inclines upwardly toward the intermediate coil 20, whereas the conduit 23 connecting this intermediate coil to the last coil 20 inclines upwardly toward this last coil. This arrangement assists in stimulating circulation of the refrigerant throughout the system.

With this in view, a conduit 24 is provided which is connected to the pressureside of a- 1- compressor C so that liquid refrigerant is supplied thereto, this liquid refrigerant line connecting with the tank 21 at the top thereof and with a vertically arranged tube or conduit 25 disposed within the tank 21. The discharge end of this tube 25 is provided with a needle valve control 26, the needle of the valve being actuated by a lever27 which in turn is operated by a float 28 arranged in the lower end of the, tank. Thus, liquid refrigerant is maintainedin the tank 21 to substantially the level indicatedby the line 29 and as a consequence this level is also maintained in the coils 20. i i

It will be noted that liquid refrigerant is introduced into the tank or float chamber 21 above the liquid level indicated by line 29 so as not to disturb or agitate the liquid in the tank. In this manner, float 28 is permitted to function undisturbed toaccurately control the amount of liquid refrigerant admitted to the system.

The reference character 30 indicates the conduit connected to the suction side of the com pressor C, this suction line 30 being connected to a coil 31, as for instance, by means of a coupling 32. The other end of this coil is connected by means of a coupling 33 to a U-shaped tube 34 arranged in the tank 21, the open end of this U-shaped tube being located adjacent the top of the tank 21 as most clearly seen in Figure 1-. Adjacent the elbow of the. tube 34 a small aperture 35 is provided for a purpose which will presently appear.

When the refrigerant in the tank 21 and coils 20 and in the connecting conduits 23 boils, the gas or vapor thus created is drawn off from the top of the tank 21 through the U-shaped tube 34 and thus passes through the coil 31 before passing into the suction line 30. In passing through the coil 31 any additional or remaining refrigerant properties contained in the gas or vapor are utilized to additionally cool the beverage, it being noted that the coil 31 is preferably arranged adjacent the settling chamber 13. In this manner the efliciency of the refrigerating unit is materially increased. 1

The boiling of the refrigerant in the tank 21 and coils 20 forces the liquid therein upwardly and spills the same through the connecting conduits 22 and therefore effectually stimulates a thorough circulation of the refrigerant. It has been found that with a refrigerating unit of this character and constructionan efiicient refrigeration may be obtained with considerably less pressure in the system than is ordinarily required. I

During the operation of the unit oil will naturally accumulate on the top of the liquid refrigerant in the tank 21 and when this refrigerant boils, the oil will bubble up and enter the U-tube 34 through the aperture 35 and again pass through the system. This aperture 3 in the U-tube 34 thus prevents an undue accumulation of oil in the tank 21.

In practice ithas been found that a refrigerating unit constructed in accordance with this invention is highly efficient and may be economically produced and operated. While for the purpose of illustration my improved unit has been shown as associated with a particular type of beverage dispensing apparatus, it will be immediately apparent to those skilled in this art that this refrigerating apparatus may be employed in other ways and that this portion of the structure depicted in the drawings is for illustrative purposes only.

Accordingly reservation is made to make such changes as may come with the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, an upright chamber, a plurality. of upright separate coils, headers encircling a space and connecting the bottoms and tops respectively of said coilsand said coils to said chamber, a conduit connected to the pressure side of a compressor and to said chamber above the normal liquid level therein, float controlled means for controlling the discharge end of said pressure conduit whereby liquid refrigerant may be maintained at a predetermined level in said chamber and also in said upright coils, a secondary refrigerating coil arranged adjacent said upright coils and encircling said space, means connecting one end thereof to said chamber above the refrigerant level therein, and means connecting the other end thereof to the suction side of the compressor.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus of the class described, upper and lower headers encircling a space adapted to receive a container, an upright tank connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to said headers, an upright coil having its ends connected respectively to said upper and lower headers, and means for maintaining liquid refrigerant at a predetermined level in said tank, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus of the class described, upper and lower headers encircling a space adapted to receive a container, an upright tank connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to said headers, a plurality of upright coils spaced from one another and having their upper and lower ends connected respectively to said upper and lower headers, and means for maintaining liquid refrigerant at a predetermined level in said tank, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus for cooling the contents of a container, upper and lower headers encircling the space adapted to receive the container, an upright tank in which liquid refrigerant is maintained at a predetermined level having its upper and lower ends connected respectively to said upper and lower headers, an upright coil extending between said upper and lower headers and connected respectively thereto, and a suction line connected to said tank above the liquid level therein and encircling the space which receives said container.

5. A refrigerating apparatus for a liquid container or thelike comprising, vertically spaced upper and lower headers encircling the space adapted to receive the container to be cooled, an upright tank having its upper and lower ends connected respectively to said headers, a plurality of upright coils spaced circuniierentially around the space adapted to receive the container and having their upper and lower ends connected respectively to said upper and lower headers, the headers extending from said tank to said coils being generally inclined in an upward direction, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A refrigerating apparatus for a liquid container or the like comprising, a pair of vertically spaced headers of encircling configuration designed to surround a space adapted to receive the container, an upright tank connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to said headers, a plurality of upright coils spaced circumferentially around the space which receives said container and having their upper and lower ends connected respectively to said headers, means for maintaining liquid refrigerant at a predetermined level in said tank, and a secondary re- 'rigerating coil encircling said space and connected at one end to said tank and at the other end to the suction side of a compressor.

'7. A refrigerating apparatus for a liquid container or the like comprising, a pair of vertically spaced headers of encircling configuration designed to surround a space adapted to receive the container, an upright tank connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to said headers, a plurality of upright coils spaced circumferentially around the space which receives said container and having their upper and lower ends connected respectively to said headers, means for maintaining liquid refrigerant at a predetermined level in said tank, and a secondary refrigerating coil encircling the space which receives said chamber within the boundary defined by said encircling headers, said secondary refrigerating coil being connected at one end to said tank above the refrigerant level therein and at the other end to the suction side of a compressor.

WILLIAM E. DOUGHTY. 

